Madrona
by forensicsfan
Summary: COMPLETE! Nick investigates a murder. Sara's called on to help. Grissom's called out of town. Catherine's in charge. Warrick's in a bad mood. Read and find out why.
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer: The usual. Didn't create them. Don't own them. Those who did are brilliant.  
  
Rating: Not sure  
  
Pairing: Not sure. I'm craving a little less fluff and little more science, but those of you who have read my stories might have a good idea where I might go with it. (Nick and Sara)  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Nick Stokes was down on his hands and knees with a pair of tweezers and his mini-Maglite trying to determine if the fleck on the carpet was worth collecting and putting into a bindle. Well, as they often said, it could be nothing or it could be everything. He reached into his multi-pocketed CSI vest and pulled out a small bindle. With a pair of tweezers he carefully pulled the fleck off the carpet and dropped it into the bindle. After labeling the sample, he stowed it into one of his vest pockets and continued his quest on the carpet. Not finding anything else that seemed out of place, Nick stood up, brushing himself off.  
  
A smirking Catherine Willows stood in the doorway of the room Nick was processing.  
  
He flashed her one of his wide Texas smiles from under the brim of his CSI cap, "Got anything, Cath?"  
  
She shook her head, "No, but it looks like you did."  
  
He shrugged, "Could be nothing. Could be everything."  
  
She smiled, "Well, David just took the body and I've finished processing for prints. We don't have much."  
  
They pair had been investigating what appeared to be a home invasion gone bad. A woman in her mid-thirties had been found in the hallway between her living room and her kitchen, sprawled out on the carpet. She appeared to have been shot as she was fleeing the suspect. They found no shell casings or gun on the scene, and upon first glance, weren't able to approximate the caliber of the weapon based on the wound to the victim. They weren't sure that the victim even lived in the house. Neighbors had mentioned that the owners of the home were on vacation and might have had a house sitter.  
  
They took the evidence they had collected and stowed it into Catherine's Tahoe. After closing the scene by sealing the doorway, they made their way back to the lab.  
  
Nick and Catherine stowed their gear in the locker room and then made their way into the break room in search of coffee.  
  
Gil Grissom looked up as the two CSIs entered the room. The night shift supervisor looked a bit harried, "Good, I'm glad you're back."  
  
Nick and Catherine exchanged a glance.  
  
"Catherine, I need to pull you off your case and have you take over mine." He continued.  
  
She raised a quizzical eyebrow, "And where are you going?"  
  
Grissom looked up at her as if she had missed the obvious, "Topeka."  
  
Catherine looked perplexed, "As in Kansas?"  
  
Grissom nodded giving her a half smile, "Yeah."  
  
Nick tried to restrain a chuckle. Grissom was brilliant, but his communication skills lacked.  
  
Catherine crossed her arms in front of her body, "Why?"  
  
"Expert testimony in a federal case." He answered a bit too gleefully.  
  
Catherine responded dryly, "Let me guess. Bugs?"  
  
He nodded.  
  
The Catherine inquisition had begun, "And just when did you find out about this little trip, Gil?"  
  
"Two hours ago." He answered, "I have just enough time to go over the case with you and have you drop me off at the airport."  
  
She raised an eyebrow, "Who's going to help Nick?"  
  
Nick interjected, holding his cup of coffee, "I can handle a DB on my own."  
  
Grissom didn't even look up, "I know you can, Nick, but Sara's going to help you anyway. She's supposed to be back from that seminar tonight."  
  
Catherine gave Nick a sympathetic glance. She knew he enjoyed the challenge of handling an investigation on his own.  
  
Catherine sat at the table to begin the briefing with Grissom and Nick headed off to watch the preliminary examination before autopsy.  
  
As Nick and David examined the body of the victim, they noticed a couple of flecks in her hair similar to what Nick had found on the carpet in the living room. He collected each of the flecks and put them in their own bindle for later processing. David indicated that he would have to do the full autopsy to determine the caliber of the bullet and he would page Nick with the results when he was finished.  
  
Nick headed to the into the trace lab to examine the flecks under a high powered microscope. They were reddish and appeared to be organic in nature. They were nothing that he had seen before.  
  
"Grissom tells me I'm helping you with a murder investigation," A grinning Sara Sidle stood in the doorway of the trace lab.  
  
Nick glanced up and flashed her a smile, "Take a look at this and see what you can make of it." He scooted over so Sara could peer into the microscope.  
  
As she looked into the microscope she made several observations, "Reddish. Looks organic in nature." She glanced up at Nick, "Off hand I'd say it looks like Madrona bark."  
  
Nick raised an eyebrow, "Madrona?"  
  
Sara smiled, "The Pacific Madrona has a unique bark that constantly sloughs off paper thin flakes. The trunks are sort of burnt orange color. They only grow on the Pacific coast of North America. The closest they come to Vegas is the Sierra Nevada's. They're really beautiful trees. We had a few on the property of my parent's Bed and Breakfast in Tamales Bay."  
  
Nick furrowed his brow, "So what is Madrona bark doing on our vic?"  
  
"Well, there aren't any Madrona trees in Vegas to my knowledge. They are almost impossible to transplant, so it's unlikely that the vic was near one when she died." Sara replied.  
  
Nick looked at Sara with a charming grin, "Since when do you know so much about botany? I thought you were a self confirmed plant killer."  
  
Sara tried to restrain her grin, "Just because I can't keep a houseplant alive does not mean I don't know a thing or two about plants. I bet you've never even heard of the Madrona."  
  
Nick chuckled, "That is not true. I've just never seen one."  
  
Sara had a glint in her eye, "You should get out more."  
  
Nick laughed. That was a line he pulled on her quite often. "You know we should obtain a sample of Madrona bark to compare this to. Just to make sure it's what you think it is."  
  
Sara smiled, "I know where one is about a three hour drive and a little hike from here."  
  
Nick raised an eyebrow, "Really. Are you volunteering to go collect it?"  
  
"Only if you come with me." Sara grinned. 


	2. Bad Night a Little Hike

Warrick Brown was having a bad night. He was supposed to have left to go on a four day vacation to Mexico with Gina, but his plans were cancelled at the last minute. Grissom had taken advantage of this and had called him in. Now here he was working a smash and grab at a pawn shop, an exercise in ridiculousness in his opinion. He would much rather have been spending the next four days basking in the Mexican sun alongside Gina. But Gina was history. Warrick had thought things with her were going places. Last night right before shift, she'd dropped a bombshell on him. Her ex- boyfriend had called her and proposed. Now Gina was on her way to meet some guy named Phil in Cupertino. Where ever the hell that was. He hadn't seen her for who she really was and in that respect he was glad she was out of his life. But he was pissed off that she waited until the night before they were supposed to leave for Mexico on a long weekend. He needed a vacation. Oh, hell, he'd get one eventually. It worked out well for Grissom. He was on his way to Topeka. Warrick chuckled. Topeka, Kansas, couldn't get much more in the middle of the heartland than that.  
  
Warrick collected what he could at the scene and made his way back to the lab. Catherine was sitting in the break room drinking coffee when he walked in. She gave him a friendly concerned look, "Sucks about your vacation."  
  
"Thanks." Warrick replied, heading for the coffee machine.  
  
"Sorry about Gina." Catherine continued.  
  
Warrick glanced over at Catherine, "I'm not. Better now than later." He forced a smile, "I'm just pissed about not getting to go to Mexico."  
  
Catherine smiled at him, "I'm taking Lindsey out for Mexican before shift tomorrow, want to come?"  
  
Warrick chuckled, "Sure."  
  
Warrick poured himself a cup of coffee and sat down at the table opposite Catherine. She took a sip of her coffee and looked at him over her cup, "How's the case?"  
  
Warrick rolled his eyes, "Smash and grab at a pawn shop. You do the math."  
  
Catherine grimaced, "Sorry."  
  
"Where are Nick and Sara?" Warrick queried.  
  
Catherine chuckled, "On their way to the Sierra Nevada's."  
  
Warrick raised an eyebrow, "What for?"  
  
Catherine smirked, "To get a sample of bark from a Madrona tree. Apparently, they don't grow in Vegas, but they found something Sara thinks is Madrona bark on their vic. The closest one, according to Sara, is in the Sierra Nevada Range."  
  
Warrick chuckled, "And you, Ms. Temporary Supervisor, let them go."  
  
"Hey, I'm not giving out favors, they still have to work a full shift tomorrow night no matter when they get back." Catherine replied with a wry grin.  
  
"Why do I get the feeling you've got something up your sleeve, Catherine Willows." Warrick replied with suspicion.  
  
She took a sip from her coffee and grinned, "You'll just have to wait and see."  
  
Warrick chuckled and took another sip from his coffee.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"I told you I should have driven," Sara quipped.  
  
Nick glanced over at her with a bemused grin, "I am not lost, Sara."  
  
She narrowed her gaze at him, "What direction are we driving, Nick?"  
  
"West." He stated.  
  
She regarded his answer suspiciously, "You're sure about that?"  
  
He raised an eyebrow, "And you're not."  
  
She let out an exasperated breath, "When was the last time you looked at the map."  
  
Nick chuckled, "Sara, unless the signage on the highway is wrong, we are headed west."  
  
She glared at him, "Nick. I'm not suggesting that the entire Nevada Department of Transportation is wrong. I just think we ought to pull over and check the map."  
  
Nick gestured toward the seat between them, "I put your directions into the GPS."  
  
"It's not like a GPS unit is always right you know." Sara huffed.  
  
"It's not like they're always wrong either, Sara." Nick replied becoming annoyed.  
  
"Oh, so you're saying it's my fault we're lost then!" Sara fumed.  
  
Nick could see Sara was working herself into a frenzy for what reason he did not know. He glanced over at her, "I'll pull over at the next rest stop, ok?"  
  
"Fine." Sara replied abruptly.  
  
They drove in silence for a few minutes as Nick tried to figure out if he had done something to offend her. Finally, he saw a rest stop ahead and turned in. He glanced over at her before unbuckling his seatbelt, "Why don't you go figure out where we are. I'm going to go use the restroom."  
  
Sara slammed the door of the Tahoe as she got out and walked over to study the large area map posted against the outside wall of the restrooms. She wrinkled her brow as she studied it. Damn, Nick was right. They were heading west. She wasn't really sure why she was so worked up. Maybe it was the damn GPS unit. It reminded her of how much of a jerk Hank had been. She was going to have to apologize to Nick and she wasn't looking forward to it. Sara had a hard time admitting when she was wrong. She decided she'd better use the facilities while they were stopped and headed into the ladies restroom just as Nick emerged from the men's restroom.  
  
Nick walked over to the map. He had seen Sara head into the ladies room and decided he ought to take a look at the map just to make sure they were headed the right direction and the that the GPS unit wasn't off. Suddenly, it hit him. Damn. That's why she's so pissed off. That damn jerk Hank. The GPS made her think of that. Women could be so random at times. He was just glad he hadn't done anything himself to piss her off. He shook his head and chuckled. He walked back to the Tahoe after verifying that they were indeed going the right direction and leaned up against it as he waited for Sara to return.  
  
She wore a sheepish expression on her face as she approached him, "Hey, Nick. I'm sorry. We are going the right direction."  
  
He interrupted her, "I know. This is about Hank isn't it?"  
  
She looked surprised, "How the hell did you figure that out?"  
  
He grinned, "I'm a CSI, Sara. I'm also your friend and I sort of put the pieces together."  
  
Sara laughed, "Good. For a minute there I thought you were reading my mind."  
  
Nick raised an eyebrow and chuckled, "Hey, I'm just glad you're just mad at the GPS and not me."  
  
"Damn technology." She smirked.  
  
Nick glanced at his watch, "We have another hour or so to drive, so we'd better hit if we want to be back in time to get a little sleep before next shift starts."  
  
The young CSIs got in the Tahoe and continued west toward the Sierra Nevada Range in search of a Madrona tree. 


	3. Topeka

Grissom's knees were stuck in the back of the seat in front of him. Figures that neither the department nor the feds would spring for first class. He was stuck in coach somewhere over God knows where on the way to Topeka. Of course there were no direct flights. He had to change planes twice. Once in Dallas and again in St. Louis. He figured they should be landing shortly. He was more than ready to get off the plane. His legs couldn't take getting wedged like this for long. No wonder he didn't travel much. He preferred to drive places. The next time he agreed to provide expert testimony he was going to stipulate getting more legroom on the flight, and if that meant upgrading to first class dammit he'd get upgraded to first class. He wasn't really upset so much, just uncomfortable. He was excited to provide testimony in this case. It had baffled so many investigators and he had provided a second opinion on the time of death based on the backdating of insect larvae. It had been pivotal in arresting the prime suspect.  
  
Grissom let out a deep sigh as they began their decent. He hoped the crew was getting along ok without him. He knew that Nick wasn't too happy that he had insisted that Sara work with him on the murder investigation, but he didn't seem to understand that maybe it was Sara who needed someone to work with, that maybe he thought Nick could teach her a few things. Since her break up with Hank and the explosion at the lab, Sara hadn't been quite as focused as she had before. Nick seemed to have a calming effect on her and he thought they worked well together. Perhaps he'd have to let Nick in on his observations when he got back. Things between himself and Sara had been a bit awkward as well. She had asked him to have dinner right before he was scheduled to have surgery. She didn't seem to take his rejection well. It's not that he didn't find Sara attractive, he'd have to be blind not to notice what a beautiful woman she was, Grissom just didn't have time for entanglements. That's exactly what Sara would be too. He liked the order of his life the way it was. It was comfortable. He didn't want to change the status quo.  
  
Except maybe with Catherine. He smiled for a moment as he contemplated that. That was complicated too. He and Catherine had been friends for fifteen years. She wasn't intimidated by him, didn't put up with his crap, and quite frankly didn't put him up on some unrealistic pedestal the way Sara did. Catherine was comfortable, like a favorite pair of jeans that takes time to break in. Not that he would ever tell Catherine that he'd compared her to a pair of jeans, but she was probably his closest friend, and hell, she was gorgeous. Grissom let his eyes close for a moment and savor his friendship and contemplate what it might be like to take things a bit further.  
  
Warrick. His thoughts were interrupted momentarily. Catherine and Warrick were close. Grissom wondered how close. He knew that Warrick had just broken up with a serious girlfriend, but he also knew that he and Catherine were very close. Grissom wondered if maybe the two of them had unspoken feelings between them. He was glad Warrick was available to come in and work in spite of his cancelled vacation. He would have to make sure he got a few days off when he got back. Warrick was a good man. Still he wondered if Warrick was attracted to Catherine.  
  
Finally, they landed. He made his way out into the concourse and headed to baggage claim. He sure hoped he was early on the billet to testify, he'd like to get back to Vegas sooner rather than later. 


	4. Stand of Madrona

Nick pulled into the parking lot at the trailhead of where Sara claimed she'd seen a Madrona tree a ways up. It was just after dawn and the pair had grabbed a bite to eat a few miles back in a nondescript small town diner. Equipped with daypacks that held several bindles, emergency kits, water, and Power Bars they set off up the trail with Sara in the lead.  
  
Several miles up the trail, Nick queried Sara, "Just how far is this Madrona tree, Sara?"  
  
She glanced back at him, "Just a little further. The vegetation in here is too dense for them to grow in here. There are several up there on that ridge."  
  
Nick estimated that they had about another mile and a half before they reached the top of the ridge she was talking about. Damn they were going to be wiped out when they got back.  
  
At the top of the ridge, they found a stand of Madrona trees, just as Sara had said they would. Nick and Sara took samples of bark, twigs, and leaves, just to be on the safe side. After they collected the samples and stowed them in their packs, they sat down on a log and admired the view.  
  
Nick glanced over at Sara who was smiling at the view, "Hey, Sara."  
  
She turned toward him, "What?"  
  
"How did you know about this place?" He queried.  
  
A bemused grin formed on her face as she answered, "Contrary to popular belief, I do get out sometimes."  
  
Nick chuckled, "It just seems like you practically live at the lab."  
  
"Unlike some people, who always seem to be checking out some new club," She quipped.  
  
Nick raised an eyebrow, "You know, I log almost as much overtime every month as you do. Is it a crime that I like to be social?"  
  
"I'm social." Sara defended.  
  
Nick chuckled, "I didn't mean that the way it sounded. I grew up in a big family, Sara. I don't always like to go home to an empty house."  
  
"Nick, can I ask you a question?" Sara had a curious expression.  
  
"Yeah." He nodded.  
  
"Why did you come to Vegas? Isn't your whole family in Texas?" She questioned.  
  
Nick wore a suppressed grin, "I came to Vegas because I had an opportunity to work with Grissom. My whole family is in Texas, but I wanted people to know me for something other than being the youngest member of the Stokes clan. That's hard to do when your family is always in the limelight. In Vegas, nobody cares if you were somebody somewhere else."  
  
They sat in a comfortable silence for a while. Nick glanced over at Sara, "Hey, Sar?"  
  
She glanced back, "Yeah?"  
  
"What about you? I know why you came to Vegas, why did you stay?" He queried.  
  
She smiled and glanced toward the ground, "Initially, I stayed for the same reason I came. Grissom. That's not a very good reason anymore."  
  
He raised a concerned eyebrow, "You're not thinking of leaving are you?"  
  
She glanced over at him and the concern on his face registered. She shook her head, "No, I'm not thinking of leaving. I love my job and I love the people I work with, except maybe Grissom." She chuckled and glanced over at Nick who was smiling. She continued, "Seriously though, you guys are like a family to me. I never expected to find that here."  
  
Nick grinned, "Yeah, I know what you mean." He glanced at his watch, "Hey, we should start heading back, or neither one of us is going to get any sleep before next shift."  
  
They stood up and made their way back down the trail. They were making good time, chatting along the way. Sara turned her head for a moment to say something to Nick, and didn't notice the small log across the trail in front of her. She tripped and went sprawling forward. Sara let out a stream of curses. Nick would have laughed too if Sara hadn't been hurt. She scraped up her arms and legs as she tumbled forward, but it was her immediate grab for her ankle that really concerned Nick.  
  
Nick quickly shed his pack and crouched down beside her, putting his hand on her back to steady her, "You ok, Sar?" Concern was etched in his eyes.  
  
Sara looked up at him and was having a hard time controlling the tears that had begun rolling down her cheeks in response to the pain in her ankle. She shook her head, "I think I might have sprained it. Damn, it hurts like hell."  
  
Nick helped her settle back against a log and pulled her shoe and sock off to take a look at her ankle, "I don't think you broke it, but you're definitely not walking on this by yourself." He pulled out his first aid kit and cursed when he realized that there wasn't much in there that was going to help a sprained ankle, especially when it was swelling.  
  
Sara grimaced as Nick helped her to stand, supporting her weight, "You tell anyone I cried and I'll kill you, Stokes."  
  
Nick chuckled, "Well at least you have your sense of humor. You can't be hurt too badly." He pulled his pack onto his back and put his arm around Sara's waist. He glanced at the path and then back at Sara, "I don't think the trail is wide enough for us to walk this way, how do you feel about a piggy back ride?"  
  
Sara glanced up at him in disbelief, "Nick, that's an awfully long way for you to carry me."  
  
He raised an eyebrow and a lopsided grin formed on his face, "Well, it's either that, or I leave you here, because you're not walking on that ankle. But you're going to have to hold onto my pack." He took it off his back and offered it to her.  
  
Sara felt embarrassed, but she let Nick pull her onto his back and she held onto his daypack as they continued the descent to the Tahoe.  
  
Nick was glad to put Sara down when they reached the Tahoe. It wasn't that Sara was heavy, it was that she was gorgeous. Having her body pressed against him for that long was causing him to think things about her, that she'd probably slap him for.  
  
Nick helped Sara into the passenger seat of the Tahoe and stowed their packs in the backseat. Sara was glad to be sitting down. She felt bad that Nick had to carry her for the last mile and a half. She tried to suppress a smile, she thoroughly enjoyed being that close to Nick, although it made her think things about him that were better kept to herself. She was not the type of girl Nick went for.  
  
Nick settled himself in the driver's seat and they headed back to Vegas. 


	5. A Sprain

Nick pulled into Desert Palm Hospital near the ER.  
  
Sara glanced over at him, "Nick, I'm sure my ankle is fine."  
  
Nick looked at her and chuckled, "Sara, you're getting an X-ray whether you like it or not. It still might be broken." He got out of the Tahoe and made his way over to the passenger side. Sara started to get out, but before she could get her feet on the ground, Nick had put one arm around her waist and the other under her knees so he could carry her into the ER.  
  
The ER wasn't too busy and Sara was able to get in to see a doctor rather quickly. After taking an X-ray, the doctor confirmed what they both thought, she had a bad sprain. He wrapped her ankle in an elastic bandage and gave her crutches, instructing her to keep off of it for the next week and keep her foot elevated.  
  
By the time they finished up at the ER, there were only a few hours left until shift started. Nick knew better than to try and talk Sara out of working, especially since the doctor had not put restrictions on her other than to stay off her ankle, so he headed to the lab. He held the front door of the lab open for Sara as she hobbled in on her crutches and he checked the samples they had collected from the Madrona trees into evidence.  
  
Sara headed for the couch as soon as they entered the break room, "Who knew using these things would be so tiring." She gestured at the crutches that she pushed under the couch.  
  
Nick smiled, "Want some coffee?"  
  
She glanced at him with her eyebrows raised, "Do you even have to ask?"  
  
Nick chuckled. He poured her a cup and then one for himself before walking over and joining her on the couch.  
  
Sara took the cup gratefully and closed her eyes savoring the coffee.  
  
Nick glanced at her, "You know, you really should have your ankle elevated."  
  
Sara smirked at him, "Ok, Dr. Stokes."  
  
He raised an eyebrow, "If you don't, you may end up in a cast and have to use those crutches a lot longer."  
  
She rolled her eyes at him and took another sip of her coffee.  
  
"Here." He set his coffee down on the table next to the couch and grabbed her calf pulling her injured leg up onto his lap. "You need to elevate this and I'm going to make sure you do, at least until shift starts."  
  
She chuckled at him, "Ok, but at least let me get comfortable, Nick." She put her coffee down next to Nick's and pivoted her body so she could put her other leg up on his lap. She lay back on the couch resting her head on the armrest, her arms on her stomach.  
  
Nick looked amused, "Better?" He rested his hands on her legs.  
  
"Uh huh." She replied smugly closing her eyes, "Now all I need is someone to feed me grapes."  
  
Nick chuckled, "Don't press your luck, Sara." He lay his head back against the back of the couch and closed his eyes.  
  
The pair were asleep a few minutes after they'd closed their eyes. Two hours later, Catherine walked into the break room, a wry grin on her face as she saw Nick and Sara asleep on the couch. She raised an eyebrow when she noticed Sara's wrapped ankle and the crutches under the couch. Not wanting to disturb them, she turned around and headed to the locker room to put her things away.  
  
Warrick stood in front of his locker hanging up his coat when Catherine entered, a smile firmly etched on her face. Warrick looked at her curiously, "What's the smile for?"  
  
She chuckled, "You'll have to go look in the break room for yourself."  
  
Warrick closed his locker and headed toward the break room with Catherine behind him. He chuckled as he observed, Sara's legs over Nick's lap, both of them sound asleep. He was curious about Sara's wrapped ankle and the crutches under the couch. Warrick heard singing behind him and he turned to see Greg Sanders dancing down the hall toward the break room with a Walkman in hand. As Greg rounded the corner into the break room, Warrick shot him a glare and held his finger up to his lips to tell him to be quiet. Greg stopped his tracks as he followed to where Warrick now pointed.  
  
Apologetically, he turned off the Walkman and slid the headphones off his head. He whispered, "I was just going to make some coffee." He glanced over at Nick and Sara, "What's with those two?"  
  
Catherine chuckled, "They pulled a double, but I don't know the story about Sara's ankle."  
  
Greg made coffee and as it brewed, Sara stirred. Without opening her eyes she mumbled, "Do I smell fresh coffee?"  
  
"You sure do." Greg answered cheerfully.  
  
Sara opened her eyes and winced as she moved her injured ankle trying to sit up. Nick was sound asleep and didn't stir.  
  
Sara ran her fingers through her hair and glanced over at Warrick, "What time is it?"  
  
He chuckled, "Shift starts in a little less than an hour." Warrick gestured toward Sara's ankle, "What did you do to yourself, Sara?"  
  
She tried to restrain an embarrassed smile, "I sprained my ankle."  
  
Pouring himself a cup of freshly brewed coffee, Greg asked, "How did you do that?"  
  
She glanced at him and raised an eyebrow, "If you bring me coffee, I'll tell you."  
  
Greg quickly got Sara a cup of coffee and handed it to her, "Here you go, Sara."  
  
Catherine smirked at how Greg was falling all over himself around Sara.  
  
Sara noticed as well and chuckled, "I tripped coming down the mountain and sprained it."  
  
Greg sat down on a chair at the table, "So, how did you get down the mountain? Did you have to get search and rescue? How far did they have to carry you?"  
  
Catherine and Warrick wore bemused grins on their faces.  
  
Sara tried to restrain an embarrassed smile, "Nick carried me." She took a sip of coffee to try and hide the faint color in her cheeks.  
  
Warrick raised an eyebrow, "How far did he carry you?"  
  
"A mile and a half," Nick replied without opening his eyes.  
  
Catherine chuckled, "Nick, aren't you tired?" She glanced at Sara, "No offense intended, Sara."  
  
"None taken," She replied.  
  
"Yes, I'm tired. Until five minutes ago, I was sleeping." He still hadn't opened his eyes. "Sara, how does your ankle feel?" His thumb caressed her leg.  
  
"It hurts like hell." She replied taking another sip of her coffee.  
  
"So basically no change then." He quipped finally opening his eyes and giving her a lopsided smile.  
  
She smiled, "Pretty much."  
  
Nick wrinkled his brow, "Hey, David never paged us yesterday. Did he get through the autopsy?"  
  
Catherine interjected, "He should have a prelim for you in a couple of hours. Brass is still working on trying to ID the vic. I guess I might as well give assignments. Work on what you've got. Warrick, if anything new comes in, it's yours."  
  
With that the nightshift began another shift. 


	6. Prelim

The autopsy report didn't yield much. The vic was killed by a single gunshot wound which entered the back and punctured a lung and a portion of the heart. David was able to retrieve the slug, a 9mm round, which was crumpled and bent after striking bone. It didn't appear that they would be able to match striations from the bullet to any shot from a potential murder weapon due to the damage of the slug. Nick set the autopsy report aside and rubbed his eyes. He was tired. In the last 30 hours he had only had 3 hours of sleep, and that was sitting up on the couch in the break room with Sara's sprained ankle on his lap. He stood up and pushed the chair back from the layout table and headed toward the break room in search of coffee. He wrinkled his nose as he realized that the remaining coffee in the pot had been sitting on the burner long enough to turn into some sort of sludge. As he contemplated searching for Greg's stash of coffee to make a new pot he heard a thump and a clattering sound followed by a stream of curses behind him.  
  
Sara was sprawled out on the floor in the doorway of the break room. Her crutches were under her and a small box of files was spilled out in front. Sara was trying her best to blink back tears of frustration when Nick came over and bent down next to her, "Are you ok, Sara?"  
  
"I'm fine, dammit. One of these stupid things caught on the door frame." She gestured toward the crutches.  
  
Nick tried to restrain a smile. He gently helped her up, his arm firmly around her waist and helped her over to the couch. He wordlessly went back over and picked up the files that had fallen out of the box Sara had attempted to carry as well as her crutches and carried them over to her.  
  
"Thanks." Sara accepted the box of files from Nick's hand.  
  
Nick sat down on the couch next to her, "Sar, why didn't you just ask someone to carry that box of files for you?"  
  
She let out a sigh of frustration, "Because I don't want anyone to feel sorry for me because I was dumb enough to sprain my ankle."  
  
A small lopsided grin formed on Nick's face, "No one here would dare think you're dumb, Sara. Stubborn maybe, but not dumb. "  
  
"I'm not stubborn," Sara protested.  
  
Nick raised an eyebrow, "Oh, and so you're the only person who's ever used a pair of crutches that didn't need help with anything. They're kind of pain when you have to carry stuff."  
  
Sara crossed her arms in front of her and tried to suppress an embarrassed grin, "Ok, so maybe I can be a bit independent. I'm used to doing things for myself."  
  
Nick chuckled, "Whether you want to admit it or not, Sar, you're human. Everyone needs help once in a while."  
  
"I don't need help." She replied.  
  
Nick raised his eyebrow again, "So, then you were just inspecting the janitor's work on the floor a minute ago?"  
  
"Ok, fine." Sara mumbled swatting at Nick.  
  
Nick chuckled, "You know, I think you could teach some sailors a few new words."  
  
Sara opened her mouth to protest and then noticed Nick's teasing expression. She began to laugh, "Ok, you win."  
  
"So, you'll let me help you then?" Nick stated as if to clarify.  
  
"Yes. Are you happy?" Sara replied.  
  
Nick nodded, "I'm always happy."  
  
"Did you look over the autopsy report?" She queried changing the subject.  
  
Nick's brow furrowed, "Yeah, but it didn't really tell us anything we didn't already know except that the gun was a 9mm."  
  
"Well AFIS hasn't spit anything out yet either." Sara offered.  
  
Nick gestured toward the files, "What's in there?"  
  
"Backlog." She replied.  
  
Just then, Catherine walked into the break room, "How's the case coming?"  
  
Nick looked up, "At the moment it's at a standstill unless Brass has gotten a hold of the homeowner."  
  
Catherine shook her head, "Why don't you two go home. Shift's over in a couple of hours anyway and if something comes up I can page you."  
  
Nick let out a deep sigh, "I could sure use some sleep."  
  
Catherine left the break room.  
  
Sara remained silent.  
  
Nick glanced over at her. Her expression was clouded. "What's wrong, Sara?" He queried.  
  
"I can't drive." She replied in frustration. "If Catherine pages me, how in the hell am I supposed to get back here?"  
  
Nick let out a chuckle, "You're coming home with me."  
  
Sara's eyebrows shot up, "I can't come home with you."  
  
Nick raised an eyebrow in return, "You live on the third floor of a walk up, Sara. I live in a house, no stairs. You need help. Let me help you."  
  
"Fine." She relented.  
  
Nick chuckled, "Ok, Ms. Independent, let's go."  
  
Nick took Sara's box of files and returned them to evidence. He met her at his Tahoe. Sara had a duffel bag slung over her shoulder. Nick assumed that it was a change of clothes from her locker. Nick helped Sara into the Tahoe and made his way home. He grabbed her duffel bag before she could protest and helped her out of the SUV. They made their way to the front door of his house and Nick opened the door.  
  
As Nick closed the door behind them he asked, "Are you hungry?"  
  
Sara shook her head, "No, I'm just tired."  
  
"Ok, follow me." Nick headed toward his bedroom and opened the door. "You sleep in here, I'll sleep on the couch."  
  
"Nick, I am not taking your bed." Sara protested.  
  
Nick raised an eyebrow, "Yes, you are."  
  
Sara let out a deep sigh, "Fine." She hobbled over to his bed and sat down, putting her crutches within easy reach.  
  
Nick went over to his closet and pulled out some extra pillows. As he walked back toward the bed he put the pillows down at the foot, "You need to ice your ankle. I'll be right back."  
  
When Nick returned, Sara sat on the edge of the bed rubbing her ankle and not looking too happy. Nick raised an eyebrow, "Here, let's get your ankle elevated." Nick helped Sara prop her ankle up on a pillow and put an ice pack on it. She lay back on the bed and wore a scowl on her face. Nick tried to restrain a chuckle, "What's wrong?"  
  
"I don't like not being able to do things for myself." She replied, not looking at Nick.  
  
Nick let out a chuckle, "It's good for you. It'll build character."  
  
Sara looked over at Nick, "Will you hang out and talk to me for a while. I don't think I'm going to go to sleep anytime soon with that ice pack on my ankle."  
  
Nick smiled, "Sure." He sat on the bed next to her and they chatted about nothing in particular. A short while later, Nick nodded off in mid- sentence. Sara chuckled to herself and drifted off a short time later. Both of them were much more tired than they had thought. 


	7. Suprise

Sara dreamt that she was standing with one foot in a stream, her body pinned against a rock by a tree branch. A warm breeze blew against her neck. She didn't seem to be able to move. Wakefulness began to overtake her and in reality, as she awoke, she realized that she wasn't standing with one foot in a stream. The ice pack on her ankle had melted and leaked. There was no tree branch pinning her to a rock, Nick's arm was slung across her waist. The breeze she felt against her neck was Nick's deep even breathing. In his sleep he had rested his head on her shoulder.  
  
Momentary panic surged through Sara. She wasn't sure what she should do. Having him this close to her was causing her to think things about him that she had worked very hard to not to. She wondered if he would freak out when he woke up and realized their proximity. She felt Nick stir slightly, tightening his grip around her waist. Sara couldn't help herself, her fingers caressed Nick's arm as it clung to her waist. Damn he was going to freak out. She knew she wasn't the type of girl he went for. She needed to wake him up. "Nick." She whispered.  
  
All she got in response was something that sounded like, "Mmmmm."  
  
"Nick," She whispered a little louder.  
  
Nick's lips pressed against Sara's neck. In his sleepy state, he began peppering kisses on her neck, working toward her jaw line.  
  
Panic surged through Sara. "Nick," She whispered more forcefully. If he knew what he was doing, Sara was sure that he would freak out.  
  
"Mmmmhmmm." Nick continued kissing her neck. His lips neared her chin.  
  
Sara tried to move. As she did, her lips brushed against Nick's and she was lost. Sara let out a whimper as Nick's lips moved over hers. She was sure he didn't know what he was doing, but she didn't care. Sara's lips parted and her tongue darted out, tasting Nick's lips. He responded by parting his lips and soon their tongues were engaged in a sensual dance. The need for air drove them apart and it was then that wakefulness finally overtook Nick.  
  
As the realization of what had just happened came over him, the expression on Nick's face became troubled as he looked down at Sara. "Sara, I am so sorry." He turned away from her and lay on the bed staring up at the ceiling.  
  
Sara didn't say a word. She was trying to catch her breath.  
  
"I don't blame you if you hate me right now." Nick continued.  
  
"The ice pack leaked." Sara finally managed.  
  
A bewildered expression crossed Nick's face, "What?" He turned to look at her quizzically.  
  
A faint smile tugged at her lips, "The ice pack leaked. I dreamt I was standing with one foot in a stream, but it was the ice pack." She glanced over at him, "I thought I was pinned against a rock by a tree branch, but your arm was on my waist. And I thought there was a breeze, but you were breathing against my neck because your head was on my shoulder."  
  
"I'm sorry, Sara." Nick looked apologetic.  
  
"You started kissing my neck and I didn't know what to do. You wouldn't wake up." Sara continued.  
  
Nick glanced away from her, sure that she was about to hit him or yell at him, or something.  
  
"I tried to move, but I couldn't and then you kissed me." Sara waited to see what Nick would do.  
  
His eyes were closed as if he was bracing for something, "I'm sorry, Sara. I don't know what else to say."  
  
"I didn't want you to stop." She finished.  
  
It took a moment, but Nick's eyes finally opened and a bewildered expression took over his face, "You mean you're not mad at me?"  
  
"I thought you'd be mad at me." Sara offered.  
  
Nick looked incredulous, "But I kissed you, why would I be mad at you?"  
  
"Because I kissed you back and you weren't completely awake. I thought as soon as you woke up, you'd freak out." Sara winced slightly as if she expected Nick to be upset.  
  
A smiled tugged at Nick's lips, "Why did you think I would freak out?"  
  
Sara looked at him nervously, "Because I'm not your type."  
  
"Says who?" Nick raised a curious eyebrow.  
  
Sara bit her lip, "What are you saying, Nick?"  
  
A lopsided grin spread across Nick's face and he rolled over on his side to face her, "Sara, if I had known you would have let me kiss you without kicking my ass, I would have done it a hell of a lot sooner. I'm just sorry I wasn't fully awake."  
  
A smile began to spread slowly across Sara's face, "You're awake now."  
  
A slightly amused expression crossed Nick's face, "Is that an invitation?"  
  
"Stokes, shut up and kiss me." Sara replied with a grin on her face.  
  
Nick leaned down and kissed her slowly at first, then more fervently. His fingers tangled in her hair as their lips parted and their tongues began to explore in earnest. A few moments later they broke apart breathless.  
  
"Wow," Sara gazed up at Nick with a smile on her face.  
  
Nick chuckled, "Me too." Nick leaned down to kiss her again when his pager went off. Sara's went off a few seconds later. The moment was broken.  
  
Simultaneously they said, "Catherine." 


	8. A Lead

Brass had located the homeowners. The victim was a Western LVU Grad student that they had hired to house sit. Her name was Donna Flemming, and to their knowledge she didn't have any family in the area. After further investigation, Brass had learned that Donna worked as an assistant to the head of the Biology department, Dr. Ronald Karl. After filling Nick and Sara in on the details, they headed over to Western LVU to question Dr. Karl.  
  
On the drive over, Nick kept stealing glances at Sara.  
  
She caught him, "What?"  
  
Nick chuckled, "Nothing. I just can't believe you let me kiss you."  
  
Sara grinned, "You can't believe I let you kiss me? I can't believe you kissed me."  
  
"Ok, so it's safe to say we were both wrong." Nick observed.  
  
"Wrong about what?" Sara replied curiously.  
  
"Each other." Nick explained grinning.  
  
Sara smiled, "Ok, so I never thought I'd be your type."  
  
"And I never thought you'd go out with me." Nick grinned.  
  
"You haven't actually asked me you know." Sara quipped.  
  
Nick chuckled, "A minor oversight. Sara, would you go out with me?"  
  
Sara couldn't contain her grin, "Yeah."  
  
The pair continued the drive in silence, wide grins etched on their faces. As they pulled into the parking lot nearest the Science Department of Western LVU where Brass was waiting for them. They slowly made their way with Brass to the offices of Professor Karl.  
  
"Dr. Ronald Karl?" Brass queried at the doorway to the biology professor's office.  
  
Dr. Karl was a man in his mid-forties. His hairline was beginning to recede and it was peppered with bits of gray in his otherwise dark brown hair. He looked up from his cluttered desk through his aviator framed glasses, "Yes, and you are?"  
  
Brass flashed his badge, "Detective Jim Brass, Homicide. This is Nick Stokes and Sara Sidle from Criminalistics."  
  
Dr. Karl's brow furrowed, "What can I do for you detective?"  
  
"Dr. Karl, do you know a Donna Flemming?" Brass inquired.  
  
Dr. Karl nodded in response, a worried expression crossing his face, "Yes, she's my teaching assistant."  
  
"When was the last time you saw Ms. Flemming?" Brass continued.  
  
"A couple of days ago. I was supposed to have a meeting with her this morning, but she hasn't shown up yet." Dr. Karl replied.  
  
Nick and Sara exchanged a glance.  
  
"Dr. Karl, I hate to be the one to break this to you, but Donna Flemming was killed yesterday." Brass informed.  
  
The color seemed to drain out of Dr. Karl's face, "Oh, no."  
  
"Were you and Ms. Flemming close?" Brass continued.  
  
Dr. Karl nodded. "Yes, Donna doesn't have family around here. My wife Emily and I had her over for dinner on a regular basis."  
  
Nick interjected, "Dr. Karl, did Donna have a boyfriend?"  
  
"My nephew, Sean. Emily and I set them up on a blind date. They seemed to hit it off right away. I'm pretty sure things are getting serious between them." Dr. Karl continued.  
  
"We're going to need to know how to get in contact with him." Sara interjected.  
  
Dr. Karl nodded numbly. The poor man looked shell shocked.  
  
"Can you think of anyone that would have wanted to harm Donna?" Sara continued.  
  
Dr. Karl shook his head. "Everyone loves Donna. That's why she's such a great teaching assistant, she gets along with all the students."  
  
"Dr. Karl, what was Donna's thesis on?" Sara queried.  
  
Dr. Karl raised a curious eyebrow, "The Pacific Madrona. She's trying to find a way for successful transplantation here in Las Vegas."  
  
"Has she had any success?" Nick queried.  
  
"She was supposed to be transplanting some over this past weekend." Dr. Karl replied.  
  
Brass interjected, "Did she have anyone helping her?"  
  
"Yeah. I've got a list here somewhere. I was offering extra credit to students who wanted to participate." He rummaged around on his desk until he found what he was looking for. "Here it is." He handed the list over to Brass.  
  
"Thank you for your time, Dr. Karl. We may have more questions later." Brass concluded the interview.  
  
As the trio walked out to the parking lot, Brass made an observation, "It's a good thing you two got a sample of Madrona bark." Brass cast a glance at Sara's crutches. "Shouldn't you be elevating that ankle, Sidle?"  
  
Nick chuckled, "That's what I keep telling her."  
  
Sara tried to restrain a smile, "Yeah, I'm on my way to elevate it now. Seeing as how shift is officially over."  
  
"Ok, I'll start trying to contact the names on the list and I'll page you if I find anything interesting." Brass opened the door to his non-descript Taurus.  
  
Nick helped Sara into the Tahoe and the drove back to his house. As they entered, Nick queried, "Hey, Sar, are you hungry?"  
  
She glanced at his lips with a mischievous smile, "Yeah, but I'll settle for breakfast for now."  
  
Nick chuckled and walked over to her, putting his arms around her waist and pulling her close, "How about I give you a little taste for later."  
  
Sara giggled and slid her arms around his neck, letting her crutches drop to the floor.  
  
Nick leaned down and kissed her, letting his lips linger on hers. They became lost in each other for a few moments, finally breaking apart. "Hey, why don't you sit on the couch and I'll make us something to eat."  
  
Sara nodded, "Ok, but I seem to have dropped my crutches." She smiled.  
  
"No problem." Nick put an arm under her knees and picked her up, depositing her on the couch.  
  
"You sure know how to sweep a girl off her feet, Stokes." Sara teased.  
  
Nick winked at her, "I try." 


	9. Flying

Grissom was the last on the billet to testify for the prosecution. He had to sit through two days of testimony before he was able to take the stand for sixteen minutes. He felt satisfied, however, that his testimony regarding the entomological timeline had been key in obtaining a conviction. The jury deliberated just three hours before returning a verdict of guilty. His flight was not scheduled to leave until the following day, but he was anxious to return to Vegas, not only to get back to work, but to check in on his team and see how their cases were going.  
  
Then there was Catherine. He wasn't sure if he wanted to do something about her, but for now, he at least wanted to garner more information as to what Warrick might be thinking about her. He had to chuckled to himself. In many ways the drama that played out in his head sounded like a school yard rivalry. He really had no idea if Warrick entertained romantic feelings for Catherine or not. He would just have to wait and see. If it appeared that he did, he might just have to play his hand. Unfortunately, he wasn't sure what his hand was exactly except that Catherine had the ability to make him do things that no other woman could.  
  
He banished the thoughts circulating in his head. He could not afford to have entanglements. But then again, he didn't see Catherine as an entanglement. Not an unpleasant one anyway.  
  
He glanced at his watch. He was hoping to fly standby back to Vegas. He knew that if his name didn't get called soon, he would miss the window of opportunity to fly back tonight. Finally, his name was called. He was the last one on the flight. The only seat available in the Boeing 737-400 was a middle seat in coach. He'd have another long flight without getting to stretch his legs. He was definitely going to try for a First Class upgrade the next time he flew.  
  
Grissom tried to settle himself in and get a few hours of sleep before he had to connect in St. Louis. The woman seated next to him was a nervous flyer and even though he quoted statistics to her about safety rates on airplanes, she still didn't stop talking non-stop. It wasn't until she started asking questions about what he did for a living that she finally stopped asking questions. Then Grissom couldn't keep quiet. The poor woman was positively nauseated by the time they landed in St. Louis from his description of the entomological timeline in decaying bodies and how it helped to establish the time of death.  
  
In any case, she wasn't on his flight to Dallas where he would connect to Vegas and there was a bit more room on the flight. He called Catherine from Dallas and let her know he would be in for shift that night, and wondered if she might pick him up from the airport.  
  
A smile settled across his face as he drifted off to sleep on the last leg of his journey back to Vegas. Catherine Willows and her beautiful face would be greeting him when he arrived at baggage claim. He'd bide his time. He wasn't sure he was ready to play his hand yet. At least until someone like Warrick forced it. 


	10. Thinking

Nick and Sara ate breakfast on Nick's couch while watching the Discovery Channel. They kept stealing glances at each other and occasionally, they would catch the other looking and they would chuckle. After they finished eating, Nick put the dishes in the sink and came back to sit next to Sara, putting his arm around her shoulder.  
  
Sara giggled and looked at him. "I still can't believe you kissed me, Stokes."  
  
Nick waggled his eyebrows at her. "I still can't believe you didn't kick my ass for doing it, Sar."  
  
Sara grinned at him and snuggled against him. "This is nice."  
  
Nick tightened his hold on her and kissed the top of her head. "Yeah, it is nice."  
  
They sat there watching a documentary on the construction of the Hoover Dam and slowly drifted off to sleep. Several hours later, Nick woke with a tickle in his nose. As his eyes fluttered open, he realized that the TV was still on, now showing a documentary on earthquake safety. Sara's head was tucked under his chin and her hair was tickling his nose. He grinned. If anyone had asked him two days ago that Sara Sidle would willingly be sleeping in his arms he would have called them a liar. Of course, they were on the couch, he didn't think that he would be making that kind of jump anytime soon.  
  
As he stirred, so did Sara. Her eyes fluttered open and she smiled. "Oh, it wasn't a dream."  
  
Nick chuckled. "I suppose it depends on what you were dreaming."  
  
She chuckled softly and started to absent mindedly play with the fabric of his shirt. "I dreamt I was sleeping in your arms."  
  
Nick smiled and then raised a concerned eyebrow. "How does your ankle feel?"  
  
Sara grimaced. "It still hurts." She raised her eyebrows at Nick. "Uh, do you think you could hand me my crutches, I sort of need to use the ladies room."  
  
Nick deadpanned. "I didn't know I had a ladies room here. And besides, I'm kind of pinned down right now by a gorgeous brunette."  
  
Sara giggled. "Ok, I'll move." She tried to push herself up, and succeeded in hitting Nick in the gut in the process.  
  
"Ouch!" Nick grimaced.  
  
An embarrassed expression crossed Sara's face. "Oh, Nick, I'm sorry!" She started giggling again when she saw he was fine.  
  
He raised an eyebrow at her. "That's gonna cost you, Sidle."  
  
She rolled her eyes slightly. "Oh, really?"  
  
He nodded. "Uh huh."  
  
A smile played at her lips. "What's it gonna cost me?"  
  
He pulled her against him and he grinned as his mouth lingered a fraction of an inch from her lips. "Oh, one or two of these should do." He closed the distance between them and planted a kiss on her smiling lips.  
  
Sara giggled against his lips. "Nick, I really have to go to the bathroom."  
  
He broke the kiss and feigned a disappointed expression. "Ok, but you still owe me."  
  
She giggle. "Can I have my crutches now?"  
  
Nick got up off the couch and retrieved Sara's crutches so she could hobble to the bathroom. He glanced at the clock and noticed that they still had quite a bit of time before they had to be at work. He yawned. Sara emerged a few moments later. He raised an eyebrow at her. "Better?"  
  
She nodded.  
  
He glanced at her ankle. "Let me see your ankle."  
  
Sara started to protest, but Nick raised a single eyebrow at her. "Sara, I want to see how the swelling is."  
  
She rolled her eyes at him. "Nick, I'm sure it's fine."  
  
A mischievous expression crossed Nick's face. "Ok, you leave me no choice then."  
  
Sara looked at him curiously as he walked toward her and scooped her up in his arms, letting her crutches fall to the floor. He turned and carried her into his bedroom and deposited her on the bed.  
  
Sara had a slightly worried expression on her face. Nick chuckled as he unwrapped the elastic bandage on her ankle. "Sara, I'm not going to try and take advantage of you, so you don't have to worry about anything."  
  
"I wasn't worried about that." Sara didn't sound very convincing. She knew Nick's reputation with the ladies and even though they had just discovered that they had feelings for each other, she didn't want to rush things. She was glad that he seemed to feel the same way.  
  
He chuckled. "I know very well what people say about me, Sar." He left her ankle unwrapped. "I'm going to go get some ice to put on this." He returned a few minutes later with an ice pack. He propped her foot up on a couple of pillows and then put the ice pack on her ankle. He stood over her and raised an eyebrow. "You need to get some rest, Ms. Sidle."  
  
Sara had a pout on her face. "I'm not enjoying this."  
  
Nick chuckled and stepped toward her. "Would this help?" He placed a hand on either side of her on the bed and bent down and kissed her softly and as he did she wrapped her arms around his neck pulling him against her as she lay on the bed. Nick lost his balance and found himself sprawled on top of Sara. Their kiss quickly became more passionate as their lips parted and their tongues danced sensuously. Nick finally broke the kiss breathing heavily. "I'm sorry, Sar."  
  
She chuckled. "Uh, I think I'm the one that made you lose your balance, but I'm not sorry. I like kissing you."  
  
Nick chuckled and pushed himself off of Sara and the bed. "I like kissing you too, but I think I'm going to go sleep on the couch until it's time to get ready for shift." Still trying to catch his breath he glanced at her ankle. "I think I'll put the ice pack back in the freezer too."  
  
"Ok." Sara touched her fingers to her lips as she watch Nick leave the bedroom. Shortly thereafter she drifted off to sleep.  
  
Nick on the other hand, had a hard time getting to sleep. It wasn't that the couch was uncomfortable, it was that he really wanted to be with Sara and he knew that neither of them was really ready for that. He also didn't trust himself to just sleep if they shared a bed. So Nick just lay there on the couch thinking about their case. 


	11. Insomnia

Sara woke to a throbbing sensation in her ankle. Nick had not rewrapped it before he went out into the living room and somehow while Sara slept she'd managed to twist it again. She leaned over the bed in search of her crutches, only to realize that they were out in the living room with Nick. She didn't want to wake Nick, so gingerly she stood up on her good leg and began hopping toward the bedroom door. Unfortunately for her ankle she was unfamiliar with Nick's bedroom in the dark and she tripped on something and went sprawling, letting out a stream of curses. Tears of frustration welled up in her eyes as she just lay back on the floor and started crying. A few moments later, the bedroom door slowly opened. A concerned Nick slowly made his way into the room. "Sara? Are you ok?"  
  
She gave up any pretense of being fine, letting the tears continue to fall as she sniffled.  
  
Nick sat on the floor and pulled her up into a sitting position and into his embrace. "Hey, what's wrong?" He rubbed her back and made soothing noises as he held her. She rested her head against his shoulder.  
  
Through her sniffles she let her frustration out. "I feel so damn helpless, Nick. It's just a stupid sprained ankle and I can't even walk across the damn room because my flipping crutches are in the other room. I didn't want to wake you up." She wiped the tears from her eyes with the back of her hand and pushed herself away from him slightly.  
  
Nick reached up and caressed her cheek with his fingers. "I'm sorry, I should have brought them in to you. And for the record, I wasn't asleep." He rested his forehead against hers, his arms slid around her waist.  
  
Sara smiled in spite of herself. There was just something about Nick that did that to her. "Why weren't you sleeping?"  
  
It was a good thing the only source of light in the room was filtering in from the hallway because Nick's face turned slightly red. "Uh, honestly?" He let out a deep breath. "I was thinking about the case, and, uh, I was thinking about the fact that you were sleeping in my bed."  
  
Sara chuckled. "Nicky, Nicky, Nicky."  
  
"Uh, what?" Nick was a little embarrassed.  
  
"I told you I didn't want to kick you out of your bed. You could have slept in here. I would have slept on the couch." Sara replied as she trailed a finger along his jaw.  
  
Nick chuckled nervously. "Uh, and then I would have been thinking about you sleeping on my couch."  
  
"Hmm." Sara cupped his cheek with her hand, caressing it with her fingers. "I seem to be giving you insomnia."  
  
Nick leaned in a placed a lingering kiss on her lips. "Something like that."  
  
Sara gently pressed her lips against his for a moment, murmuring, "Are you still tired?"  
  
Nick nodded and leaned in to kiss her again. "Yeah, a little."  
  
"Would you sleep better if you were with me?" She tasted his lips again.  
  
Nick broke the kiss and rested his forehead against hers. "I'm not sure I can trust myself to just sleep, Sara."  
  
She chuckled. "Well, you're not getting any sleep as it is." She leaned in and kissed him again.  
  
Nick murmured against her lips. "I don't want to take advantage of you."  
  
Sara giggled. "I'll let you know if I think you're taking advantage of me."  
  
Nick rested his forehead against hers again. "How is your ankle. That's why I came in here, remember."  
  
"It hurts like hell." Sara replied, her fingers playing with the hair at the nape of his neck.  
  
"Damn, I forgot to put the wrap back on, didn't I?" Nick sounded apologetic.  
  
"It's ok." Sara leaned in and kissed him briefly.  
  
Nick let out a deep sigh. "You need ice and your crutches." He pulled himself out of Sara's embrace and lifted himself up off the floor. He helped Sara up and helped her over to the bed. "I'll be right back."  
  
Sara leaned over and turned on a lamp at the side of the bed, visible now that light filtered in from the hallway.  
  
A few minutes later, Nick returned with an ice pack and Sara's crutches, setting them within easy reach. A smile was etched on his face as he rewrapped her ankle and propped it up on a pillow, putting the icepack on top of it. He grinned at Sara.  
  
"Nick, stay with me for a while, ok?" Sara smiled at him, concern furrowing in her brow.  
  
Nick let out a deep breath. "Ok, but promise me that you'll kick me or something if I do anything to make you uncomfortable."  
  
Sara rolled her eyes. "Nick, I only have one good leg right now, the last thing I'm going to do is kick you. I might call Warrick and have him kick you though."  
  
Nick chuckled and crawled onto the other side of the bed, not touching Sara.  
  
She glanced over at him and chuckled.  
  
His eyebrows shot up. "What?"  
  
An amused expression crossed her face. "You."  
  
He rolled over on his side, facing her. "What about me?" He had both eyebrows raised.  
  
Sara reached up and traced the line of his jaw with one finger. "I wouldn't be here if I didn't trust you, Nick."  
  
He let out a deep breath as he looked down at her. "What if I don't trust myself?"  
  
She smiled and caressed his cheek with the palm of her hand. "I trust you."  
  
"Maybe you shouldn't." Nick searched her face.  
  
She chuckled. "Nicky, we've known each other a long time. We both know that we're attracted to each other. We both know that we care about each other. If you do something that makes me uncomfortable, I'll let you know. We have to work in a few hours and you sure as hell aren't getting any sleep out there." She reached up and trailed her fingers over his lips, and then leaned up and kissed him briefly.  
  
Nick brushed the hair off of her forehead allowing his fingers to trail down her cheek. He gently cupped her chin and leaned down to kiss her softly. Sara parted her lips and deepened the kiss. Before they knew it, they were lost in a fervent kiss, exploring each other's mouths thoroughly. Nick's fingers tangled in Sara's hair. By the time they broke the kiss, Nick rested partially on top of Sara. "Uh, I don't think I'm going to get any sleep doing this either." A lopsided grin spread across his face.  
  
Sara chuckled. "Well, you have to admit it's a lot more fun that sitting out in your living room thinking about being in here."  
  
Nick chuckled and a bit of color infused his cheeks. "Damn, Sara, you sure know how to bust a guy."  
  
She giggled. "Shut up and kiss me, Nick, I'm trying to tire you out so you'll go to sleep."  
  
Nick waggled his eyebrows at her and leaned down to kiss her again, wrapping an arm around her waist and rolling them over so that Sara was sprawled atop him. As they broke the kiss, Nick rested his head back on the pillow wrapping his arms around her waist. Sara molded her body against his and rested her head on his shoulder as she drew lazy circles on his chest. Nick slowly drifted off to sleep and Sara followed shortly thereafter. 


	12. Grissom's Home

Catherine was standing in baggage claim with an amused expression on her face when Grissom finally showed up. "I take it you were near the back of the plane."  
  
Grissom flashed her a half smile. "Apparently."  
  
He gathered his bags and followed her out to her Tahoe. "How'd things go while I was gone?"  
  
Catherine chuckled. "What? You don't think everything falls apart the moment you leave town do you?"  
  
He glanced at her over the rim of his glasses. "I didn't say that. You're very capable, Catherine. That's why I trust you."  
  
She just shook her head in amusement at the backhanded compliment he'd just issued her. "Well, Sara sprained her ankle on a case."  
  
Grissom's eyebrows shot up. "Worker's comp?"  
  
Catherine chuckled. "It's just minor. She's not off work, she just can't walk on it for another few days."  
  
Grissom cocked his head slightly. "Doesn't she live on an upper floor?"  
  
Catherine smiled. "She's staying with Nick."  
  
Grissom looked a little taken aback. "Nick."  
  
Catherine looked amused. "Uh, huh."  
  
Grissom pondered that for a few moments. He glanced over at Catherine as they climbed into her Tahoe. "Is there something going on between Nick and Sara?"  
  
Catherine chuckled. "Last time I checked, no. But that could change at any time."  
  
Grissom's eyebrows shot up. "I should talk to Nick."  
  
Catherine started to laugh.  
  
Grissom looked at her slightly perplexed.  
  
Catherine stopped laughing and leveled a serious expression at him. "Gil, don't do that. They're adults, and their personal life is none of your business."  
  
He looked as if he was going to say something.  
  
Catherine cut him off before he could start. "And they are both professionals, so I'm sure they both know that they can't let any personal relationship affect work."  
  
Grissom just let a tiny smile overtake his face as he sat back and enjoyed the ride. "Catherine, it's good to be home."  
  
Catherine just smiled as they pulled into the parking lot of the lab.  
  
Shift was about to begin, and Grissom was happy to be back at work.  
  
***********************************  
  
Grissom, Catherine, and Warrick were seated in the break room drinking coffee and waiting for Nick and Sara so they could get assignments and start shift. About fifteen minutes before shift was supposed to begin, there was a slight commotion in the hallway.  
  
"I am not a Neanderthal, Sara." Nick's voice sounded amused.  
  
"Well, isn't this how they treated their women?" Sara didn't sound upset, although one might expect that she would by the line of conversation.  
  
"So, you're my woman, huh?." Nick chuckled. A sound that sounded like a smack resounded. "Ouch, woman, that's my ass you're slapping.  
  
"And a nice ass it is." Sara's voice sounded like she was smiling.  
  
The trio in the break room exchanged amused glances as they heard a little yelp followed by giggles.  
  
The reason was evident as Nick and Sara came into view. Sara was hoisted over Nick's shoulder, one of his hands was firmly on her butt, and Sara was trying not to laugh as she held onto her crutches. An embarrassed grin was firmly etched on her face.  
  
Nick had a satisfied grin on his face as the pair entered the break room. He glanced at the trio at the table. "She was making us late with those crutches. I just thought I'd help her out." He still had her over his shoulder.  
  
"Nick, put me down." Sara was becoming more embarrassed by the moment.  
  
"Shift doesn't start for another fifteen minutes, Sar." Nick just grinned and chuckled as she smacked his butt again. Before he set her down, he squeezed her butt.  
  
Sara's face was red as she glanced over at the table. "Uh, I'm going to kill him later, just so you don't have to go look for a suspect."  
  
"You love it and you know it, Sara." Warrick quipped.  
  
Sara stood there hanging on her crutches open mouthed for a moment. She glanced at Nick who just grinned at her with a single eyebrow raised. She started to giggle. He leaned in an kissed her briefly. They both grinned as they broke the kiss.  
  
Grissom cleared his throat. "Uh, is there something you'd like to share with the whole class?"  
  
Nick and Sara glanced at each other before they turned toward Grissom.  
  
Grissom looked at them over the rim of his glasses and he was clearly amused.  
  
Sara smiled nervously. "Uh, well, Nick and I, we, uh, well, it's, uh, he and I, we."  
  
Nick chuckled. "Sara and I are dating."  
  
"Didn't need a rocket scientist to figure that one out." Warrick quipped.  
  
Grissom glanced over at Warrick with pursed lips. "Yes, well we forensic entomologists are a little slower. We like to take all the evidence into account before we draw a conclusion."  
  
Catherine grinned. Sometimes Gil Grissom could surprise her.  
  
Sara had hobbled over to join the trio at the table. Nick got them both cups of coffee before he sat down as well.  
  
Grissom glanced around the table. "Warrick, gang related shooting. Vega is already out on the scene." He handed Warrick the slip. "Catherine, you're with me. Possible murder suicide. Nick and Sara, check with Brass on your case, I believe he's almost done questioning the list of students you got from Professor Karl."  
  
"Boy, Grissom, you don't waste any time getting back in the saddle." Nick commented. He was always amazed that Grissom always seemed to know what was going on.  
  
Grissom gave him a half smile. "That's why they pay me the big bucks."  
  
Catherine rolled her eyes as she stood. "Oh, big bucks, huh? What, they send your paycheck through a copier and press enlarge before they give it to you?"  
  
Grissom raised a single eyebrow in return. "Funny, Catherine." He glanced over at the rest of the team. "What are we waiting for?"  
  
The rest of the team stood to get to their respective assignments. Warrick leaned toward Nick and Sara. "You know you can't make out at crime scenes."  
  
Sara's face immediately flushed pink and Nick just chuckled.  
  
Grissom glanced back. "Warrick, don't keep Vega waiting."  
  
Warrick sauntered out of the break room.  
  
Grissom raised an single eyebrow at Nick and Sara. "He's right you know. But I trust you." He turned and followed Catherine out leaving Nick and Sara standing their slightly bewildered before they started to laugh. 


	13. An Arrest

Brass had narrowed the list of suspects down to two. His first inclination after eliminating the professor as a suspect was that the boyfriend might be responsible. But Sean Karl had an alibi. He had been out of town for the past week and had just gotten in the night before. He had been completely devastated at the news of Donna's murder.  
  
Brass had turned his attention to the list of students who had been offered extra credit if they had helped with the Madrona transplant project. As he interviewed students, two names kept coming up. Philip Jones and Robert Francis. Both of them had been there that day to help with the project, and both of them had made a play for Donna in the past. But as Brass looked closer, Robert Francis seemed to be the most likely of the two.  
  
With a warrant in hand, Brass arrived at the apartment. Nick and Sara searched his apartment. What they found was startling. Not only did he have a weapon that matched the caliber of the murder weapon, he had an entire arsenal of weapons in his closet. And as they continued to search, they found traces of what appeared to be Madrona bark on a pair of jeans stuffed into the back of his closet, along with blood spatter.  
  
Brass arrested Robert Francis on suspicion of murder and Nick and Sara took the evidence in for processing. When the ballistics report came back on the weapons, not a single one proved to be a match. However, the DNA from the blood on the jeans was a match to Donna Flemming and the trace material was in fact bark from the Pacific Madrona tree.  
  
Nick and Sara stood in the locker room stowing their gear. Sara closed her locker and leaned up against it as she watched Nick. He glanced over at her and grinned as he closed his locker. "Nice work, Ms. Sidle."  
  
"Thanks." She had a glint in her eye. "You know, I recall that someone promised to take me out on a date."  
  
Nick's eyebrows shot up in mock surprise. "Who is he?"  
  
Sara started to giggle. "Very funny, Nick."  
  
Nick stepped close to her and grinned. "Well, now that our case is over, maybe we can do that before Grissom gives us another case."  
  
Sara tilted her head to the side. "You know, you talk an awful lot."  
  
Nick raised an eyebrow in amusement. "You don't like me talking to you?"  
  
A smirk crossed her face. "I didn't say that. I can just think of a much better use for your lips."  
  
He chuckled and placed a hand on either side of her on the lockers behind her. His face hovered in front of hers. "Really?"  
  
She nodded as she glanced at his lips. "Uh, huh." A smile formed on her mouth.  
  
Nick leaned in closer. "I thought you wanted to talk about going on a date." He grinned a fraction of an inch from her lips.  
  
Sara smiled. "Shut up and kiss me, Stokes."  
  
Nick closed the distance between them, Sara giggling against his lips as he wrapped his arms around her waist.  
  
*********************The End********************  
  
A/N: Sorry, it had to end sometime. Hope you enjoyed. Reviews always welcome. 


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